SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), May 20 - The California lawmaker who is proposing a ban on the Chinese delicacy, shark fin soup, has amended the bill to allow some businesses more time to adjust to the prohibition.

Assemblyman Paul Fong initially wanted the shark fin ban to take effect for all businesses on Jan. 1. Now the Cupertino Democrat has changed the proposal to allow businesses that currently sell shark fins an extra year to comply.

Supporters say importing the product encourages illegal shark finning, a practice that involves cutting off the fins of live sharks then tossing them back in the water to die.

The ban's opponents argue that shark fin soup is part of Asian culture and should be legal as long as the whole shark is used.